Lee tosses gem as Phils get in win column

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cliff Lee tosses the ball to first base after fielding a ground out by Atlanta Braves' Andrelton Simmons in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

ATLANTA — The Phillies saw their first two starters get knocked around roughly by the Braves’ unabashed mashers. Friday night, the temperature dropped and Cliff Lee put the freeze on Atlanta’s hope to send the Phils back to Philly bruised by a sweep to open the season.

Lee didn’t get much more run support than he got during a frustrating 2012 that saw him earn winning decisions in just six of his 30 starts, but he had little trouble making the little he got stick in a 2-0 series-salvaging win over Atlanta at Turner Field.

Lee allowed just two hits — a two-out single by Dan Uggla in the second inning, and a base hit by Justin Upton in the fourth that quickly was erased by an inning-ending double play.

The only other batter to reach base was Gerald Laird, who led off the sixth with a bouncer that went off Chase Utley’s glove for an error. Lee stranded him at first by retiring the next three batters, then needed just 21 pitches to zip through the seventh and eighth innings and hand it over to Jonathan Papelbon.

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Lee threw 106 pitches, 78 for strikes in his most dominating performance since he worked 10 shutout innings against San Francisco in his third start of last season.

The Phillies got both of their runs in the top of the second, as Braves starter Kris Medlen had difficulty with his control for five innings of work. It was the first time Atlanta lost one of the right-hander’s starts since May 23, 2010, a stretch of 23 starts that were interrupted by Tommy John Surgery in 2011.

After Medlen escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, the Phillies opened the second with Laynce Nix singling and catcher Erik Kratz thumping a double to left. Lee then helped himself by working a walk to load the bags.

For some reason, Ben Revere decided to take a hack at the first two pitches after Lee’s free pass, then seemed to hit into a costly double play. However, Braves second baseman Dan Uggla inexplicably failed to make the relay throw to first, as Nix scored. After Jimmy Rollins worked another walk, Chase Utley scored Kratz with a sacrifice fly.

Before the game, Charlie Manuel tried to make light of the fact that some fans back home were edgy over the Phils losing their first two game.

“I’m gonna panic and go up there and jump off top of that stadium,” he said, motioning to the nosebleed seats at Turner Field. “It would be my luck to live.”

Fortunately for Manuel and the Phils, they get to show up at Citizens Bank Park for their opener with a win under their belts.